Devices for holding clips in tooling and fixtures for checking fixtures and automation assembly fixtures in various industries are known in the art. Clip holding devices are used to alternately hold a clip of plastic, metal, or other material securely in a specific and repeatable location, with a release mechanism to allow disassembly of the clip and attached components without damage to the clip. This functionality is desirable to allow inspection or assembly of components or assemblies that include snap lock clip.
Conventional clip holding devices typically rely upon movable jaws that can be opened or closed from the backside of a clip holding assembly. Devices that operate in this manner require individual and unique motions for the closing and opening functions of the clip holding assembly. This results in reduced usability when closing the devices, as the operator of the fixture is typically working from the front side and therefore would be more accommodated if the devices could be closed with a front-side activation. Alternately some conventional technology consists of remote cable activation and deactivation which requires excessive cost, complexity, and fixture system design compromises.
To ensure a dimensionally stable and secure functionality, conventional devices are a size that is larger than is convenient for use in many fixture design applications. This size limitation often requires costly design compromises in adjacent components of fixtures which results in excessive cost and reduced quality of design of the entire fixture system.
Therefore, a need exists for a clip holding and releasing device, which can be closed by an activation from the front side, can be closed with a convenient simple motion from the back or side of the device, can be dimensionally stable and secure with a smaller size, and features which eliminate or reduce the other identified inefficiencies and costs of the conventional methods listed previously.
There is a need for a clip holding and release assembly which includes locking jaws and a locking block component within a holding body which employ design geometry, moving components, springs, and such which allow release by a human or mechanical operator from the backside or alternately from a side-access component or assembly. The arrangement also allows closing of the clip jaws from the front side. The entire system can be accomplished with size that can be accommodated in fixture assembly designs without undue compromises by adjacent components.
There is a need for a clip assembly that also provides the functions listed and required, including being dimensionally strong and stable enough for the necessary functions, in an overall size which can be incorporated into a fixture assembly design without undo encroachment on adjacent components of the fixture, which provides improved usability of invented clip holding device.
There is also a need for a method of holding and releasing a clip by providing a simulation of the mating surfaces of a component or assembly used in complex products, such as automobiles and other transport equipment. When in the closed position, the device provides a dimensionally correct and stable representation of the mating piece, often a portion of sheet metal or plastic molded part. When in the open position, the clip or assembly can be easily removed from the fixture without undue damage or flexing of the clip or assembly.